500 Seeds Vates Collard Greens Heirloom Vegetable Garden Greens

Vates collard greens are a traditional open-pollinated variety known for their broad, smooth, blue-green leaves and compact, upright growth habit. This dependable cool-season green has been a garden staple for generations and performs well in both spring and fall plantings, producing steady yields of tender leaves for the kitchen.

Vates collards are valued for their mild, slightly sweet flavor and sturdy texture, making them a favorite for slow simmering, steaming, sauteing, and adding to soups and stews. Leaves can be harvested young for salads or allowed to mature for traditional cooked greens. Plants tolerate light frost, which often improves flavor, and continue producing over a long harvest window when outer leaves are picked and the crown is left to regrow.

Species: Brassica oleracea
Variety: Vates
Type: Biennial grown as annual
Plant_Habit: Upright, compact rosette
Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Rich, well-drained loam; pH 6.0-6.8
Days_to_Harvest: 60-80 days
Zones: 2-11
Germination: 7-14 days at 65-75F
Sowing: Start indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost or direct sow 1/4 inch deep
Spacing: 18-24 inches between plants, 24-36 inches between rows
Notes: Harvest outer leaves first to encourage continued growth